Switzerland's specific actions in development cooperation, cooperation with Eastern Europe, humanitarian aid, multilateral cooperation, the global programmes, development policy, and research and culture

Fragility, violence and conflicts are major challenges in the fight against poverty. The promotion of human rights and the promotion of sustainable, peaceful, just and inclusive societies contributes to address their root causes, to strengthen resilience and to leave no one behind.

Using and incorporating the knowledge of federal agencies, cantons and communes; engaging in political dialogue with governments with a view to achieving reforms or better economic and social conditions

Development banks, UN development organisations and global funds and networks are important pillars of development cooperation, contributing both knowledge and funding. Switzerland’s portfolio of priority partner organisations reflects new global challenges as well as the country’s development priorities.

Malnutrition among children and other vulnerable groups remains worse as a result of the prevailing food insecurity situation in South Sudan. According to the 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for South Sudan, some 1.8 million people – the majority of which are children under five years - face malnutrition. Through this project, Volunteers Organization for International Co-operation (OVCI) intends to address malnutrition of vulnerable children, pregnant and lactating mothers and other destitute persons in Juba County by improving their dietary intake.

Although fighting across South Sudan has considerably decreased due to the recently signed peace agreement, humanitarian needs remain dire as a result of multiple factors (e.g. insecurity, destroyed livelihoods, market disruption). Largely, the security situation still remains fragile preventing people from engaging in meaningful production activities which has resulted into widespread food and nutrition insecurity.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report released in November 2018 shows that, an estimated 6.1 million people are facing severe food insecurity with about 1.8 million people facing malnutrition and are in need of nutrition assistance. According to UNICEF, the estimated caseload of children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) across the country has increased from 237’459 at the start of 2018 to 362’077 currently.

Objectives

Improve the nutritional condition of the most vulnerable, malnourished children, pregnant and lactating mothers and other special groups in Juba.

Target groups

52,000 pregnant and lactating women

500 children

920 school kids and orphans

100 infants

350 families of disabled persons

Medium-term outcomes

Improvement of the nutritional conditions for at least 2,000 pregnant and lactating mothers;

Improvement of the health status of at least 50,000 pregnant and lactating mothers;

Improvement of the health and nutritional status of at least 500 children;

Improvement of the nutritional status for 50 families with family members with disabilities.